Shipping Telegraph Yemeni forces seize massive Iranian weapons shipment bound for Houthis

A record-breaking cache of Iranian weapons, including advanced missiles and drone technology, was intercepted en route to Iran-backed Houthis, US Central Command announced Wednesday, calling the seizure the largest of its kind.

U.S. Central Command said the Yemeni National Resistance Forces (NRF) successfully intercepted a “massive Iranian weapons shipment” that was meant to reach the nation’s Houthis.

“Congratulations to the Yemeni National Resistance Forces (NRF), led by Gen. Tareq Saleh, for the largest seizure of Iranian advanced conventional weapons in their history,” CENTCOM wrote on X.

The NRF seized more than 750 tons of munitions and hardware, including hundreds of advanced cruise, anti-ship, and anti-aircraft missiles, warheads and seekers.

The seizure also included hundreds of drone engines, air defense equipment, radar systems, and communications equipment, as well as manuals in Farsi, CENTCOM said.

The illegal shipment was intended for use by the Iranian-backed Houthis.

The CENTCOM commander, Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, said that blocking such shipments is crucial to maintaining security and safe shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden – waters that have seen repeated attacks on vessels by the Houthis. The seizure also shows that Iran “remains the most destabilizing actor in the region,” Kurilla said.

Kurilla praised Yemen’s “legitimate government forces” for choking off the arms flow. “We commend the legitimate government forces of Yemen who continue to interdict the flow of Iranian munitions bound for the Houthis,” he said.

The announcement came after the recent attack on the Greek bulker vessel, Liberia-flagged, Magic Seas, 51 nautical miles southwest of Al Hudaydah in Yemen. The vessel was attacked by multiple small ships using different types of weaponry. The spokesperson of the Yemeni armed forces Yahya Sare’e said the Magic Seas and its affiliated company violated what the group called a “ban on entering the ports of occupied Palestine.”

In just 24 hours in a similarly coordinated assault Houthis attacked the Greek-managed bulker, Liberia-flagged Eternity C in the southern Red Sea, the second ship attacked by Houthis after months of calm.

Eight Filipino seafarers of the Eternity C arrived safely in Pasay City, Philippines on Wednesday night, July 16. The seafarers were among the crew members of the bulk carrier, which was attacked recently by Houthis in the Red Sea.

All the 17 Filipino seafarers of the Magic Seas which was recently attacked by Houthis while traversing the Red Sea, were all safely repatriated and provided with comprehensive assistance and support from the government, according to the Philippine Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).

Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac along with officials from the DMW welcomed the 11 Filipino seafarers on July 12, at NAIA terminal 3. The first six seafarers were repatriated on July 11.

Houthis reiterated on Wednesday their warning to all companies dealing with the ports of occupied Palestine that their ships will be targeted in any area reached by the armed forces, regardless of the destination of those ships.